GPs providing abortion services offer remote appointments, study finds

Applying for a medical abortion involves two GP appointments, which must be on different days with an optional follow-on appointment. 

Almost half of GPs who give abortion care offer women the option of in-person and remote appointments, according to the first Irish study to examine how this works.

The authors, including two Cork GPs, said the findings show telemedicine is no longer unusual in the abortion system, and legislative change could be needed to protect this.

Applying for a medical abortion involves two GP appointments, which must be on different days with an optional follow-on appointment. 

Since 2020 and the start of the pandemic, telephone or video appointments were also offered. 

A medical abortion by taking tablets can only be offered to women who are nine weeks or fewer pregnant.

The research found 48.4% of GPs who responded offered a mix of appointment types — 18.8% offered the first visit only remotely and 32.8% only offered in-person care.

It found mixed options was the most common way to deliver the care in city and rural settings.

Since the pandemic, the blended approach usually sees the first and third visits done remotely, while the second is in-person.

The study said: “Full remote provision inclusive of Visit 2 remains uncommon and limited to specific clinical circumstances.” 

The figures were collected using a new data tool developed by the Southern Taskforce on Abortion and Reproductive Topics (START) and Trinity College Dublin.

The authors include Dr Mary Favier and Dr Patricia Horgan. 

They raised concerns that while remote appointments were now “an established feature”, this was introduced under temporary legislative and regulatory changes in 2020.

They cautioned this meant the legal standing of telemedical EMA "remains insufficiently codified, creating regulatory uncertainty for providers".

The study is published in the journal BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health.